Doctor Strange actress and hubby groomed girl, 13, for sex: UK court told

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An actress who starred in Doctor Strange is accused along with her husband of sexually grooming a 13-year-old girl, plying her with booze, then reenacting scenes from her favourite porn movies, a British court heard.

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Zara Phythian, 36, who appeared alongside heartthrob Benedict Cumberbatch, is accused of 14 charges of sexual activity with a child, as is hubby Victor Marke, 59.

According to prosecutors, Phythian — a martial arts expert — allegedly targeted the teen starting when the girl was just 13.

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Prosecutors allege that the couple filmed the sexual abuse in a twisted attempt to recreate scenes from their favourite pornographic movies. The alleged attacks occurred between 2005 and 2008 while the pair worked as martial arts teachers.

But when Doctor Strange came out in 2015, the girl went to the police. During the abuse, the young girl claimed she felt she was being coached by Phythian.

On the first occasion, the court heard the girl was plied with dark rum before Phythian “dared” her to perform oral sex on Marke — after showing the teen how it was done. After that, the couple allegedly abused the girl “once or twice” a month for the next three years.

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In addition, Marke is charged with four separate charges of indecent assault on another teen girl in 2002 and 2003. He has denied the allegations.

Phythian starred as Zealot in Doctor Strange alongside Cumberbatch and Mads Mikkelsen. She has also starred in a slew of martial arts movies including Tribal: Get out Alive.

Shocked jurors were shown a video the alleged victim gave to cops. In it, she described the abuse.

“It was Captain Morgan’s Dark Rum. My mum did not like me drinking. I was not allowed to drink,‘” the girl said. “Zara asked me if I wanted to play a game of ‘dare,’ and started (performing a sex act on) Victor. She asked me to do the same. Then he took it in turns to have sex with each of us.

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“I just tried to copy Zara’s reactions and emotions, the noises she was making. I had never received much attention from boys. I think I just liked the attention. It just went on from there.”

On some occasions, the girl was asked to record the sexual antics of Marke and Phythian. At other times, the alleged victim was the star of the sickening abuse.

“I knew it was wrong, but I did not know how to get out of the situation, or say anything,” the woman, now in her late 20s, said. “I just did whatever they asked me to do. They made it seem like I was some naughty kid and they were helping me out. I just felt like there was no way out. They told me not to say anything.”

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